


Pizza My Heart

by HereNowReady



Category: Fifth Harmony (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff, Humor, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-20 09:49:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12430239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HereNowReady/pseuds/HereNowReady
Summary: Camila can’t remember exactly when her obsession with pizza began. However, she can remember when her obsession with the pizza delivery girl began.





	Pizza My Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to try to write another fic based off one of the songs on the new album. Apparently, 'Deliver' just made me think of pizza. (Although, for those of you that know me, that shouldn't be surprising).
> 
> As always, a huge thanks to TheSickenerHits for listening to all my ideas and for proofreading.
> 
> You can find me on Wattpad too: HereNowReady

 

Camila can’t remember exactly when her obsession with pizza began. It’s been going on for too long.

Delicious melted cheese, soft yet crispy dough… Camila doesn’t understand why anyone _wouldn’t_ be obsessed. Plus, they’re so customisable! No matter what mood she’s in, there is always a pizza topping that fits the situation perfectly.

As far as Camila is concerned, pizza is the best thing ever created (well, along with bananas), and her love for it began years ago.

So, no, she can’t remember the exact moment that her obsession with pizza began, but she _can_ remember when her obsession with the pizza delivery girl began.

It was four months ago.

Camila and Ally had just moved into a new apartment together, leaving their old one after Normani and Dinah decided - since they'd been dating for a while - that they wanted to find a place of their own.  
  
It had taken a little while to get used to the others not being around. After all, the four of them had previously lived together for two years (and life was a lot quieter without Dinah around 24/7).

The two of them had been living in their new place for a few weeks when Ally went to visit Troy, leaving Camila alone for the weekend.

Ally had only been gone for around three hours, but Camila was bored out of her mind.

She’d already watched Tangled, scrolled through tumblr, and counted the number of drips per minute that were released from the leaky kitchen tap. As she lay on the couch, deliberating what to do next, her stomach growled. Camila knew better than to fool herself into thinking she was going to bother cooking dinner for one. Therefore, she grabbed her phone and did what she did best: ordered pizza.

Since moving, they hadn’t tried many of the local pizza places, so Camila picked the first one on the list - a place called Speedy’s - and figured that over time they’d try a few to discover which was the best.

As soon as she hung up, she dreamt of her pizza’s arrival. There were lots of things she was expecting from this delivery. (For instance, a delicious carb overload.)

However, when she opened the door 30 minutes later, she _wasn’t_ expecting the captivating pair of green eyes that met her, and she _really_ wasn’t expecting for those eyes to belong to the most beautiful person she’d ever seen in her life.

It took her more than a few seconds to realise the stranger was speaking, looking slightly confused since the pizza was still unclaimed and in her hand, “Pepperoni pizza for Camila? Have I got the right place?”

It occurred to Camila that her name had never sounded so good before, and she sort of wished she could play that sentence on loop forever. Camila found herself nodding slowly, her mind in a complete daze as the melodic sound of the stranger’s voice filled her ears. A slight pang of disappointment ran through her when she realised the girl had stopped speaking.

She had no idea why her brain decided her next move was a good idea (she assumed it was temporarily dumbstruck by the ridiculously attractive human being in front of her), but the word left her mouth before she could stop it, “Pupperoni.”

An eyebrow raised in confusion, the delivery girl paused before responding, “Excuse me?”

_Oh my god. What the hell am I doing?!_

Camila smiled nervously, wondering how the hell she could come out of this without looking like a complete idiot. She decided it was probably impossible, but the silence had already extended for far too long. “Erm… I meant, what sort of pizza is a dog’s favourite? But, well, I sort of said the answer already. Pupperoni. I am so sorry. It’s been a long day and -- ”

Her rambling was cut short by the sound of laughter, and, right then and there, Camila decided that was the best thing she’d ever heard. She looked up and was surprised to see the woman’s head was thrown back, the laughter erupting from her entirely genuine.

Camila felt her nerves start to fade, and a grin spread across her face, “It would have been funnier if I hadn’t messed it up.”

“I still liked it,” she said, smiling widely, small giggles still escaping from her lips. “That seriously just made my day ten times better.”

“Well, I’m glad,” Camila took the pizza box as it was held out towards her, taking a deep breath as she became more confident. “Next time, I’ll see if I can actually get the joke in the right order.”

Smirking, the woman began to walk away, looking over her shoulder as she replied, “I’m looking forward to it, Camila.”

Before the stranger had even started up the ignition of her motorbike, Camila knew she was a goner.

That was why, precisely one week later, Camila found herself ordering yet another pizza from the exact same place.

“I’m cooking lasagne tonight, Mila. You sure you don’t just want some of that?” Ally asked, slightly confused as to why her friend seemed so insistent that she had to order pizza. She was used to Camila’s crazy moods, and insane love for cheesy deliciousness, but usually - if they were both around - they had dinner together.

Trying her best to sound casual, Camila nodded, “I just really want pizza, Ally, but thanks!”

With a shrug of her shoulders, Ally seemingly accepted Camila’s decision and went back to the kitchen to check on her food, “Well, mine will be ready in about an hour. Maybe you could order your pizza for then and we can eat together?”

Camila bit her lip nervously and began to pace around the room, knowing that whilst Ally could hear her in the kitchen, she couldn’t see her. She had no idea what to do. Now that Ally had suggested she delay ordering her pizza, would it look rude to refuse?

There was a specific reason why Camila felt the need to place her order at precisely 7:15pm, but, if she admitted that to Ally, then she’d start thinking about everything too much. Right now, she was quite content with living in denial and pretending her crush on the pizza delivery girl was no big deal (even if she was ordering her pizza at the exact time she ordered it a week ago just in case she was working again).

She was somewhat surprised when she managed to convince Ally that she was ridiculously hungry, and, therefore, had to place her order right then and there. Besides, they’d agreed to sit and watch a movie together for the evening, so - in the grand scheme of things - eating at different times didn’t really matter.

When the doorbell rang, Camila got up far too quickly. She then proceeded to pause by the door for a few seconds so that it didn’t look like she’d been sat there waiting far too eagerly for the doorbell to ring. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she opened the door, hoping to find those green eyes looking back at her.

“Hey again, Camila,” the familiar voice filled the air between them and Camila felt her stomach swirl as she stared at the woman in front of her. Although Camila had hoped that she would be working again, she’d tried to prepare herself for disappointment just in case.

“Well, hey there...” Camila smiled as she let her sentence trail off, hoping her deliberate pause would be interpreted correctly.

“Oh, I’m Lauren. So, I’ve got a margherita pizza for you this time,” Lauren said, grinning back, “but I’m afraid you still owe me.”

Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Camila thought for a moment before responding, “I’m sure I paid online.”

“Oh, you did,” Lauren leaned against the doorframe casually, “but, if I remember correctly, you owe me a joke.”

Camila couldn’t stop her stomach from doing some sort of crazy dance inside her. Surely, Lauren delivered pizzas to a lot of people, yet she had remembered their conversation. “Of course. How could I forget?"

“Maybe, if you get your joke the right way around this time, I’ll make sure they put extra toppings on your pizza next time.”

Lauren’s words caused Camila’s heart to hammer frantically inside her chest. Next time? Camila tried to remain calm. After all, she had to survive this encounter first before she could even begin to contemplate the possibility of seeing Lauren again.

“Well, now you’ve added some serious pressure. But I think I can manage it.” Camila knew her words contained far more confidence than she actually felt. Nevertheless, she continued, “How does a pizza say hello?”

Camila couldn’t help but notice how adorable Lauren looked while she concentrated, one eyebrow raised while she thought carefully about the potential answer to the joke. After a few seconds, she gave up, shaking her head, “I don’t know.”

Grinning, Camila prepared to deliver the punchline, “ _Slice_ to meet you!”

Right on cue, Lauren let out a loud laugh and handed over the pizza box. It took a few seconds before she was able to speak, “I really liked that one! I still think ‘pupperoni’ might be my favourite though. Well, here’s your pizza, and next time I will totally get you extra toppings as promised. See you later, Camila.”

The door closed, yet the smile didn't leave Camila's face. She sighed gently before turning back round, putting her pizza box on the coffee table and returning to her original seat. Camila realised she’d made a mistake as soon as she saw the look on Ally’s face.

“So, I'm going to guess that there was a specific reason why you wanted to order pizza tonight,” Ally’s eyebrow was raised, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips as she spoke.

“What? Don’t be ridiculous…” Camila muttered, opening the box and grabbing a slice of pizza.

Ally laughed gently, “You’re about as subtle as a sledgehammer, Mila.”

\---

For the next two months, Camila’s Saturday evenings followed a strict pattern, and she had it down to a tee.

 **Step 1:** At precisely 7:15pm, she would order pizza.

 **Step 2:** About half an hour later, Lauren would arrive and Camila would proceed to tell her yet another pizza-related joke.

 **Step 3:** Lauren would laugh far too loudly before saying goodbye.

 **Step 4:** Camila would spend the rest of the week looking forward to doing it all over again.

Dinah and Normani had come over for a catch up, and, while Dinah filled them all in on the latest gossip from her workplace, Camila was trying to figure out how she was going to place her order for the eleventh consecutive week. She figured it would be pretty easy. After all, they usually ordered takeout when they got together. All she had to do was steer the conversation in the direction of pizza, and the rest would fall naturally into place.

Or so she thought.

“Ooh can we order pizza?” Dinah asked excitedly as she collapsed onto the couch. “I haven’t had pizza for ages.”

Ally nudged Camila gently, “You’ve had a lot of pizza recently, haven’t you?”

“Oh, we can get something else then,” Dinah offered, although her words were filled with disappointment.

After glancing at the clock, Camila shot a quick glare at Ally before looking over at Dinah, relieved that it was going to be simpler than she thought to continue her new weekly routine, “No, I am so down for pizza. You know me, I love it. We could order now if you guys want?”

“Hell yes!” Dinah pulled her phone out of her pocket and began furiously typing. “There’s this new place that’s just opened. I’ll find the website. It’s meant to be real good.”

Panic began to course through Camila. She hadn’t told Normani or Dinah anything about Lauren. Not that she was sure there was anything to tell except that she had a ridiculously large crush on her. Regardless, ordering from a new pizza place was not something she wanted to do.

How was she going to fix this? It was a Saturday evening, and, just like the past ten Saturdays, Camila had been intending to order pizza from her new favourite place. An unwanted thought entered her mind, causing an uncomfortable knot to form in her stomach.

If she didn’t place her order, would Lauren even notice? Maybe it was all in her head, but she couldn't help but notice that - with every week that passed - their encounters had lengthened. What had started as just an exchange of a bad joke for a pizza, had turned into more. Or at least Camila secretly hoped it had.

After all, the last time she'd seen Lauren they'd ended up talking for almost twenty minutes. Their conversation had inevitably ended when Lauren’s phone rang and her boss’ shrill voice had boomed out of the speaker.

Camila had learnt that Lauren was studying at the same college as her (although unfortunately wasn't in any of her classes), had a younger brother and sister, owned a puppy named Leo, and that they shared a love for The 1975.

Camila knew that her crush had intensified over the past couple of months. She was in too deep, falling helplessly for Lauren, but she had no idea how to stop herself from hitting the ground. Did Lauren think about her in that way at all, or was she just another customer?

During Camila’s silence, Ally was the only one who spotted anything was wrong. The other two girls were too busy scrolling through Dinah’s phone and discussing what pizzas to get.

While Camila still tried to deny the extent of her feelings for the delivery girl that showed up every Saturday, Ally knew her friend all too well to buy any of it.

“You know, I've actually been wanting to try this other pizza place,” Ally said nonchalantly, easily finding the menu that was becoming a permanent fixture in the drawer of their coffee table. “We got this through the door, and some of the girls at work said it was really nice. Do you mind? We could try the other place on Tuesday when you come over for movie night?”

Camila didn't even need to look at the menu properly to recognise it. That shade of blue was familiar enough. She was vaguely aware of Normani’s voice filling the air, but her words didn’t even register in Camila’s head. Dinah grabbed the menu and nodded, so Camila assumed they were happy to go along with the new plan. She looked at Ally, mouthing a silent ‘thank you’ while her other friends became distracted discussing what to order.

The doorbell rang about 30 minutes later, and Camila heard Ally ask Dinah and Normani to help her get drinks from the kitchen. Camila made a mental note to thank Ally properly later, assuming her friend was giving her space so that she could interact with Lauren without an audience. Not to mention, it would be fairly obvious that they’d ordered from there before as soon as the conversation began.

“Well, hey again,” Lauren grinned as the door opened. “Fancy seeing you here.”

Camila’s heartbeat accelerated as soon as she locked eyes with Lauren, “Do you come here often?”

Lauren took up her usual position, leaning against the doorframe as she spoke, “You know, I do. Lately, I’ve been coming here every Saturday now that you mention it.”

“Really?” Camila asked, playing along. This sort of exchange had become quite normal between the two of them. “How come?”

“Well, you see, there’s this girl that lives here. I’m not sure if you know her. Anyway, she seems to have an obsession with pizza. She’s been ordering one every Saturday,” Lauren gestured to the pizza boxes in her left hand, “Although she’s really going all out this week. I’m sort of hoping all of these are for her because that would be pretty impressive.”

Camila couldn’t help but laugh, breaking their playful game of pretence, “Afraid not. My friends are here too.”

“You have friends? I’m shocked, Camz,” Lauren gasped in fake shock.

It took Camila a few moments to respond, her mind too distracted with how good that nickname sounded as it spilled from Lauren’s perfectly formed mouth. Her stomach twisted and turned as she found her eyes settling on Lauren’s lips. Almost immediately, she looked away, forcing her gaze upwards and hoping Lauren hadn't noticed.

“Rude,” Camila attempted to glare but she knew it wasn’t believable in the slightest. “I guess you don’t want to hear my joke then.”

“Let’s not be hasty,” Lauren stood up straight and ran her hand through her hair. “Besides, your jokes are the best part of my Saturday. You wouldn’t want to ruin my day, would you?”

Camila heard noises behind her, and assumed her friends had re-entered the room. She softened her voice, wanting to keep their conversation as private as possible, “Way to guilt trip me, Lo. Fine. So, do you want to hear a joke about pizza?”

Confusion filled Lauren’s face, “Of course I do. It’s our thing.”

Camila’s breath hitched in her throat. Their thing? Could it be possible that maybe Lauren liked her, or was she reading far too much into her words?

She pushed the thought out of her mind and focused on the task at hand, “You know, forget it actually. It’s just too _cheesy_.”

For a second, Lauren’s eyebrows remained furrowed, but soon her puzzled expression was replaced with a wide grin and laughter tumbled from her lips. She tried to speak but gave up, almost choking on her words. While she tried to catch her breath, Camila decided to take advantage of the silence.

“Careful, Lauren. I know I’m hilarious, but don’t go dying on me,” Camila smirked as she took the pizzas from Lauren’s outstretched hand, placing the boxes down on the nearest surface.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Lauren regained control of her breathing, “I never knew you cared so much, Camz.”

“Don’t get carried away. I’m just saying, who would deliver my pizzas if you were dead?” Camila was aware that the voices behind her seemed to have dropped in volume, and - while she was sure her friends were attempting to eavesdrop - all she really cared about was talking to Lauren for as long as possible.

“You know, this might come as a shock to you, but there are other people that deliver pizzas,” Lauren countered, resuming her usual position and leaning against the doorframe. “I mean, that’s what I hear anyway.”

“I’d miss you though.”

The words left Camila’s mouth before she could really think about them. As soon as she did, her entire body tensed up and panic coursed through her. She could feel warmth flood over her face, and she knew her cheeks had probably turned a not-so-subtle shade of pink.

She cleared her throat, trying to come up with a desperate attempt to save herself from total embarrassment, “Because I’m sure nobody else would laugh at my terrible jokes.”

Camila didn’t miss the fact that it took Lauren a few seconds to start to formulate a response. She also didn’t miss the way that Lauren’s eyes widened at her words, or the soft smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

A thought began to form in her mind, and - although she told herself to just dismiss it - it lingered, causing Camila’s heart to begin to beat so furiously she was sure her neighbours would file a noise complaint.

Lauren’s tongue slowly moved across her lips as she prepared to speak. However, just as her mouth opened, a shrill ringtone cut through the air. Camila noticed Lauren hesitate before answering the call (which Camila quickly realised was from her boss). While Lauren spoke, Camila couldn’t help but wonder if she was totally misreading the signs, or if it was actually possible that Lauren liked her.

With a heavy sigh, Lauren hung up the phone, “I have to go. Apparently this delivery has taken too long.”

“Shit. Did I get you into trouble? I’m so sorry, Lauren,” Camila’s fingers began to play with the hem of her top and her gaze lowered.

“Hey,” Lauren’s hand was suddenly on top of her own, stopping her nervous movements. Looking up, Camila was met with a soft smile that she couldn’t help but return. A pang of disappointment settled in her stomach as Lauren’s hand left hers all too quickly, “I promise I’m not in trouble, Camz. Although - even if I was - you'd totally be worth it. I’ll see you next week, right?”

“Of course,” Camila couldn't stop her smile from growing, and she knew she was already looking forward to their next encounter.

Running a hand through her hair, Lauren grinned and walked towards her motorbike. As she grabbed her helmet, she looked back at the doorway, eyes fixed on Camila, “Oh, and, for the record, I’d miss you too.”

Within seconds, the engine roared to life and Camila watched, feeling completely dumbstruck, as Lauren’s bike disappeared into the distance.

It was Dinah’s voice that eventually snapped her out of her trance, “So, Walz, got something you need to tell us?”

Camila grabbed the pizza boxes and took the few short steps necessary to rejoin her friends, sitting down next to Ally, “I don’t know what you mean.”

Normani raised her eyebrow, “Mila, we are not dumb. Spill it.”

With a sigh, Camila grabbed a piece of pizza and took a large bite in an attempt to give herself more time to figure out what to say. She decided there was no point hiding the truth, so she prepared to tell her friends all about Lauren, “A couple of months ago, I ordered a pizza and Lauren delivered it. I guess you could say that, since then, I’ve sort of ordered pizza a few more times just so that I could see her again.”

“By that, she means she’s ordered pizza every single Saturday since,” Ally added, grabbing her own slice. “They’re completely adorable.”

“We are not! Oh my god, Ally,” Camila exclaimed, her pitch going higher than she’d anticipated. “We just talk. I don’t even know if she likes me like that.”

“She is so into you,” Normani scoffed, “and I only heard a few sentences of that conversation.”

“Agreed,” Ally nodded. “I’ve been saying this for weeks.”

Shaking her head, Camila prepared to give the same response she’d given Ally at least ten times. As far as she was concerned, getting her hopes up could be dangerous, “Look, she’s just delivering the pizza I order. Yes, we talk a bit when she’s here, but that’s all it is.”

“But you totally want to jump her bones,” Dinah smirked as she spoke. She opened another pizza box then shrugged, “Can’t blame you. She’s hot.”

Clearing her throat, Normani shot a glare at her girlfriend, “Watch it.”  
  
“You know I don’t want anyone but you, Mani. I’m just pointing out that she’s hot,” Dinah leaned into her girlfriend, placing a gentle kiss on her lips, “But you’re hotter.”

“That’s better,” Normani replied. “Anyway, back to the point, she definitely likes you, Mila. Why else would she have laughed at that terrible joke?”

Camila’s mouth opened in shock, “Rude! That was an excellent pizza-related joke.”

“You guys have no idea,” Ally quickly cut in. “Compared to some of the other ones she’s told, that one was actually passable.”

“My jokes are amazing!” Camila insisted, a hint of hurt in her eyes. “Ally, I can’t believe you.”

A soft smile spread across Ally’s face, “Camila, I love you but… Honey, some of them were awful. That dough one was probably the worst.”

As Camila gasped in shock, Dinah seized the opportunity to jump in, “Norminah can judge if it’s good or bad. Tell us it.”

“Fine. Prepare to be wrong, Allyson,” Camila turned to face Dinah and Normani, suppressing a grin as she thought about the punchline, “What do you call a person that doesn’t like pizza?”

“Seriously, prepare yourselves for disappointment,” Ally warned, shaking her head and sighing.

Camila glared at Ally before finishing off her joke, “A weir- _dough_!”

A giggle escaped Camila’s lips, and she waited for more laughter to join hers. It never came.

“Never tell that joke again. Seriously,” Dinah exhaled sharply, “That was fucking terrible.”

“Which backs up what we’re saying,” Normani stated, “Lauren likes you. There is no other reason why she’d laugh at that joke, Mila.”

Camila continued to glare at her friends (who all clearly had terrible taste in jokes). Ally nudged her lightly in an attempt to break her resolve, “Come on, Camila. Isn’t it a good thing if she likes you?"

Unable to stop a shy smile from forming, Camila looked down, hoping to hide it, “Well, yeah.”

“So, what’s the problem?” Ally knew that the time for teasing her friend was over.

Shrugging her shoulders, Camila sighed, “I… I just don’t want to get my hopes up.”

“Seriously, that girl likes you,” Normani reached for another slice of pizza. “Don’t overthink this. You’re enjoying talking to her, right? So, just carry on doing that. See where it goes.”

“Basically, keep ordering pizza,” Dinah stuck her tongue out, “Shouldn’t be too difficult for you.”

So, Camila did just that.

\---

For another three weeks, she did what she did best and ate pizza every Saturday evening. Without fail, Lauren would show up at her apartment, they’d talk for far too long and Lauren would leave in a hurry, making a mad dash back to work so that she didn’t get in trouble.

Camila was ready to order pizza from Speedy’s for the 15th time, placing an order for a margherita. Just as it did every week, her stomach started to twist and turn in anticipation. Seeing Lauren was the highlight of her week. However, when the doorbell rang, Camila opened to door to an unfamiliar sight. To be precise, that sight was a guy.

A guy who was definitely _not_ Lauren.

Confusion flooded through her. This had never happened before. For 14 weeks, she had ordered pizza, and Lauren had appeared on her doorstep. But now, out of nowhere, a _guy_ was stood looking at her, pizza box in hand.

“Hey, erm, I’ve got a pizza with sausage for Camila,” he said, pronouncing her name so badly that she failed to stop a grimace from forming.

After getting over his terrible pronunciation, his words sunk in and she couldn’t help but sigh. Not only was Lauren nowhere to be seen, but they’d also delivered the wrong pizza.

Camila couldn’t even be bothered to raise the issue with the stranger in front of her. Besides, she cared far more about where Lauren was than what topping was on her pizza (which, Camila realised, was definitely a sign that she was in way too deep).

“Oh, and I was told to tell you something. Hang on,” he reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. He tapped a few times before finding what he was looking for. Coughing lightly, he cleared his throat before speaking, “What did the pizza say when it asked the topping out on a date?”

If Camila hadn’t been confused before, she sure as hell was now. Why was a random delivery guy telling her a joke? As if it didn’t hurt enough that Lauren wasn’t there, now she had to listen to a pizza joke when that was - as Lauren had once put it - their thing.

Realisation began to dawn on her as she recalled his words: _I was told to tell you something._

No. It couldn’t be… Could it? Thoughts whirred around her brain so fast she almost felt dizzy. Could this whole thing be linked to Lauren? But, even if it was, Camila still couldn’t make sense of it all. What was the point of her passing on a message rather than just saying it in person? Possible explanations rushed through her mind.

Maybe Lauren couldn’t work today so had left a message instead? But why a joke? After all, Camila was always the one to tell the jokes. If Lauren had left a message, did that mean something? Did Lauren look forward to their weekly conversations as much as Camila did?

She blinked furiously, unable to stop her mind from racing ahead of her. It was all too overwhelming. It was at that moment that she realised she couldn’t even remember what the first part of the joke had been. Just as she was debating whether to ask him to repeat it, the sound of a soft cough reminded her that she still hadn't said anything, and that the guy in front of her was now looking rather awkward.

“Hey, so, I’m sorry to be rude but I can’t be here long, and I really have to make sure you get the whole message. She was very clear about that when she gave me it,” he said.

_She._

Maybe the message was from Lauren after all.

Heart pounding, Camila cleared her throat and smiled softly, “I’m really sorry. Can you repeat that first part again?”

The guy nodded, “What did the pizza say when it asked the topping out on a date?”

This time, the word ‘date’ seemed to echo inside Camila’s head. Her eyes widened and pulse quickened as she tried to tell herself that it was just a joke. That word was just coincidental. It had to be.

“I don’t know, what did the pizza say?” Camila was surprised when her sentence came out intact. She had been positive - due to the current state of her thoughts - it would be a jumbled mess.

Rolling his eyes lightly, but with a slight smile, he completed the joke, “I never _SAUsage_ a beautiful face.”

Camila couldn’t help but laugh. The delivery guy held out the pizza box, a relieved look on his face since his job was now done. She took it and went back inside, leaving him to go back to work.

As she sat down, she suddenly wondered if perhaps her incorrect order hadn’t been an accident. Surely, it couldn’t just be a coincidence that her unwanted topping happened to link directly to the joke?

She had so many questions, and she had no idea how to answer any of them.

As she opened the pizza box, her eyes were drawn to something inside the lid. There was a long message. Letters curved beautifully, the black ink a stark contrast to the pale brown of the box. As Camila read the words, pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

 _“Camz,_ _  
_ _Hopefully, Alex didn’t mess up the joke I gave him. I’m also hoping that you got the hint because otherwise this might be a bit embarrassing. I really like you, so, just like the pizza asked the topping out on a date, I’d really like to ask you out too. In fact, I’d sort of like to ask you to join me on a date right now. I’ll be waiting outside the Italian place near the fountain. It’s called La Perla. I really hope I’ll see you soon._  
_Lauren_  
_P.S. The pizza here is way better than Speedy’s so, even if you don’t like me, you should totally come and get some pizza anyway.”_

After reading Lauren’s note for the third time, the words finally sunk in and Camila stood up, a mixture of disbelief and panic coursing through her veins. Lauren had asked her out on a date. An actual date.

Looking down, Camila caught sight of her outfit and ran to her room. Clothes began to be thrown around the room as she searched frantically for something that was good enough to wear on a first date with the girl of her dreams.

She looked at the clock and realised she needed to hurry. What if Lauren got fed up of waiting for her to arrive or thought she wasn’t coming?

Still pulling on her favourite pair of white jeans, she hopped towards the front door, grabbing her purse on the way and praying she wasn’t too late.

Luckily, Lauren’s chosen destination was only a few minutes walk away, and - before she knew it - Camila could see the fountain in the distance, soft lights radiating through the water and illuminating the darkening surroundings.

As she got closer, she looked around in desperation. Where was Lauren? Was she still there? Then, green eyes met hers, and her heart felt like it had jumped so high it was in hyperdrive, racing through the stars above them at lightspeed.

Lauren stepped towards her, and Camila was faced with the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen. Evidently nervous, Lauren ran a hand through her hair and spoke softly, “Hey.”

Now that they were closer, Camila felt her own nerves begin to build, “Hey to you too.”

“I’m really glad you’re here,” Lauren was now just centimetres away, and it occurred to Camila that this was the first time they’d been in such close proximity. Normally a pizza box was in the way, or Lauren was leaning casually against her doorframe.

“I’m really glad you asked me to be here.” As Camila’s words hung in the air, for a few seconds, silence surrounded them (although it wasn’t uncomfortable in the slightest).

“So, you hungry? I’m hoping you didn’t actually eat that pizza because, seriously, the food here is to die for,” Lauren grinned, walking towards the restaurant.

“I’m starving!” Camila felt warmth begin to spread through her cheeks as Lauren held open the door, asking for a table for two.

“By the way, I know I should have said this earlier, but, oh my god, you look good,” Lauren shook her head, stumbling over her words a few times before continuing, “I mean, good doesn’t even begin to do you justice. You’re so incredibly beautiful.”

The warmth that Camila had felt earlier almost seemed to turn into an inferno, and she knew that her cheeks were probably now a vibrant shade of red, “I could say the same. I mean, have you seen you?”

“Once or twice,” Lauren joked as they sat down at their table.

Camila was all too aware that, previously, the longest conversation they’d had was just short of half an hour. However, as the night progressed, she realised that talking to Lauren was so easy that everything seemed to fall into place by itself. The evening almost seemed to pass in a blur and neither of them noticed that they were now the only people left in the restaurant, their plates long since cleared.

Camila picked up her glass, finishing off the remains of her drink. As she did so, she looked around, wondering if she would be able to catch the waiter’s eye and order another one. It was then that she realised there were no other customers.

At the same time, Lauren seemed to have noticed too. She tapped her phone, her eyes widening as she saw the time, “I had no idea it was so late. Can I walk you home? I don’t really want to say goodbye yet.”

Camila felt her stomach do some sort of somersault, and she nodded, “I’d really like that.”

Shivering slightly as the cold air spun around her, Camila pulled on her jacket. As they began walking, Camila felt fingers intertwine with her own, and the swirling sensation in her stomach intensified. She glanced to her right, catching Lauren’s gaze briefly before both girls looked away again, smiles mirrored as they turned the corner.

“You know,” Camila ran her thumb across Lauren’s, making small patterns against her skin, “I am so glad I picked the first place on the list when I ordered pizza all those months ago.”

“So am I,” Lauren looked across at Camila before admitting, “I’m also really glad you actually showed up. Not gonna lie, I was sort of terrified.”

“Of course I showed up, Lauren.”

Revelling in the way Lauren’s hand seemed to fit so perfectly in hers, Camila let out a soft sigh and decided to say the words that had been on her mind for nearly four months, “I like you so much. I’ve been crazy about you since you showed up at my door that very first time.”

“I knew I liked you as soon as you said the word ‘pupperoni’. Even if you did mess that joke up,” Lauren smirked, recalling the night they met. “Honestly, Camz, I think I liked you even more because you messed it up. It was adorable.”

“Good to know you think it’s cute when I mess up. I feel like I do that a lot, so you might have to get used to it,” Camila hoped her words hadn’t been too pre-emptive. After all, their date seemed to going really well. Surely, it wasn’t just wishful thinking to hope that Lauren might want to see her again?

“I'm more than alright with that.”

As Lauren spoke, Camila could feel disappointment building as they got closer to her apartment. Any negativity Camila felt soon dissipated when Lauren continued, her voice slightly shaky as she asked, “I don’t suppose you’d maybe let me take you out again sometime?”

Camila couldn’t quite believe all of this was actually happening. Despite feeling anything but calm, Camila did her best to control the relentless rhythm of her heart, praying that her words would exude more composure than she actually had, “I think I could definitely do that.”

It was only when Lauren’s pace began to slow down that Camila realised they were just a few steps away from her front door. As she turned to face Lauren, their hands became disconnected. Camila tried not to become too disheartened at the lack of contact between them, but she knew that - if the choice were hers - she would have lived in that moment forever.

It crossed her mind that she had no idea what was supposed to happen next.

Were they just going to say goodbye? Did she need to ask for Lauren’s number? Should she kiss her?

Hell, she _wanted_ to kiss her.

Camila decided she’d had enough of questions. After all, there were no official rules about what should happen at the end of a date. Wasn’t it better to do what felt right? If she wanted to kiss Lauren, maybe she should just do it.

She took a step forward, closing the gap between them. Her gaze was diverted downward as Lauren’s tongue darted across her lips, gently sweeping across their surface. Camila couldn't help but begin to wonder what they'd feel like pressed against her own. When she looked up, she saw Lauren’s eyes flicker upwards, and - as green met brown once more - it occurred to her that perhaps her desire to kiss the girl in front of her was mutual.

Without hesitation, she placed her hand on Lauren’s waist, pulling them closer together. Searching for any sign of uncertainty, Camila paused for a moment. The delay was minimal because, almost instantly, Lauren leaned forwards and moved her hand to the back of Camila’s neck. Lauren’s fingers slowly moved through her hair as she brought their bodies together.

Unable to control her actions, Camila bit her bottom lip as she felt Lauren’s skin pressing against her own. They were now so close there were mere millimetres separating them. Camila knew she couldn’t wait any longer.

As the space between them disappeared and their lips connected, Camila’s first thought was that all the love stories in the world couldn’t have prepared her for the intensity of emotions that began rushing through her as she kissed Lauren for the first time.

There wasn't a single love song that could even begin to describe how perfectly they seemed to fit together. It was as though all their lives they’d been destined to be right there on that doorstep, lost in the moment and each other.

Almost as quickly as it had begun, it was over. As Lauren leaned her forehead against Camila’s, she let out a gentle sigh which made Camila’s stomach flip in delight. She wondered if the firework display that seemed to be going off inside her would ever end. She had a feeling it wouldn't. At least, not if kissing Lauren was going to become a regular occurrence.

“You know, I don't normally kiss on a first date, Camila,” Lauren said, her voice raspy and quiet, but more than loud enough due to their close proximity.

A soft giggle left Camila’s mouth, and she leaned forwards to press another gentle - but fleeting - kiss against Lauren’s lips before saying, “Well I'm glad you broke your rule.”

Although she didn't really want to, Camila took a step back and quickly retrieved her keys from her bag. Turning around, she unlocked the door and opened it, pausing once she was stood in the threshold. When she turned back around, she was faced with a familiar sight.

Lauren was leaning against the doorframe, a warm smile on her face as she ran a hand casually through her hair. It was something she’d seen Lauren do countless times over the last four months, and it never failed to make Camila feel as though she was literally weak at the knees.

“Thanks again for tonight,” Lauren began as her hair fell effortlessly back into place, “While I’ve liked showing up here every Saturday and talking to you, maybe it would be easier if I gave you my number.”

Camila swiftly got her phone out and handed it over to Lauren, “You might have a point. Does this mean I don't have to order pizza every week just to see you?”

Lauren’s fingers tapped against the screen for a few more seconds. When she was done, she held the phone out, and couldn’t help but smile as Camila’s fingers brushed hers as she retrieved it, “It does. Besides, delivering another pizza to you is not exactly what I had in mind for our second date.”

“You have something in mind?” Camila asked, unable to stop her smile from growing. She was sure that she was going to wake up in the morning with an ache in her cheeks (although that definitely wasn’t a bad thing).

Lauren nodded, “Yep. I guess you’ll have to wait and see what it is.”

“Well, I hope I don’t have to wait too long,”

“I promise you won’t. I don’t think I could stay away from you even if I wanted to,” Lauren’s gaze stayed fixed on Camila as she spoke, “and I really don't want to.”

“That's good to know,” Camila moved towards Lauren, bringing her hand up to Lauren’s cheek, “because I really don't want you to either.”

Camila felt a rush once more as she leaned closer and kissed Lauren again. This time, their actions were more desperate, and, after a few short seconds, Lauren’s tongue brushed against Camila’s bottom lip, wordlessly asking for entry. Their tongues began battling for dominance. Camila pressed their bodies closer together, eliciting a soft moan from Lauren as she did so. All too soon, they pulled apart, both more than a little breathless.

Lauren leaned back against the doorframe, letting out a soft sigh, “Fuck. You know, you're making it very difficult for me to say goodnight.”

“Then maybe you shouldn't.” Camila’s voice came out lower than she'd expected, and she knew that - when she inevitably relayed the entire conversation to her friends - Dinah would give her a high five for that line.

Lauren’s eyes widened and she inhaled sharply, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before responding, “You have no idea how much I want to stay, but, look, I've rushed into things before and it hasn't ended well. So, please don't take it the wrong way when I tell you I'm going to have to say goodnight. It's just, you mean a lot to me, and I really want this to end well. You're not upset are you, Camz?”

Camila noticed Lauren shuffling her feet against the hard concert beneath them, and she wrapped Lauren’s hand in her own, “How can I possibly be upset with you for saying that? This whole evening has been incredible. Besides, if I'm being honest, as soon as I said it I began panicking because my room is a total mess. Like, it genuinely looks like an explosion happened in there.”

Lauren threw her head back, laughing like a little kid. Once she regained her composure, she gave Camila’s hand a gentle, and hopefully reassuring, squeeze, “Tonight has been perfect. You're perfect.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, Jauregui,” Camila said, poking her tongue out, “Now are you planning on saying goodnight before or after I freeze my ass off standing on this doorstep?”

“Damn. I'd better say goodbye quickly. That ass is too good to suffer like that,” Lauren grinned, and let go of Camila’s hand, “No, but, seriously, I really should go. I'll see you soon though.”

“Definitely. Goodnight, Lauren,” Camila smiled softly as Lauren began to walk away, her emotions a bittersweet combination of excitement and disappointment.

Looking over her shoulder, Lauren bit her lip before speaking, “Goodnight, Camz.”

Before she had even reached her bedroom, Camila heard her phone vibrate. When she saw the notification on her screen, she couldn't help but smile.

 **Lauren:** _I really did have an amazing time tonight. Thank you for ordering pizza every week for so long._

Camila felt her face flush; surely there was no harm in one last joke.

 **Camila:** _What can I say? You’ve got a pizza my heart._


End file.
